TIMEPIECE CONTAINING A LOCKING DEVICE FOR A PUSHER

Abstract

The timepiece is equipped with a case which comprises a case middle, a pusher and a locking device for this pusher. The pusher is arranged movably in a translational manner in an actuation axis. The locking device contains a blocking means that is movable in a translational manner along the actuation axis and with the ability to be displaced between a locking position and an unlocking position, in which positions the pusher is respectively to the locking and unlocking positions blocked and free in translation. The locking device contains in addition a control means rotatably mounted in a general plane of the case between a first position and a second position corresponding respectively to the locking and unlocking positions for the blocking means, this control means containing means for driving the blocking means between its locking and unlocking positions.

Claims

1. A timepiece containing a case, a pusher mounted in a case middle of the case and a locking device adapted to lock the pusher, this pusher being arranged in such a way as to be capable of undergoing a translation in an axis of actuation of the pusher by a user, the locking device containing a blocking means and a control means arranged to control the displacement of the blocking means between a locking position and an unlocking position, in which positions the pusher is respectively blocked and free in translation, the control means extending in a general plane parallel to said actuation axis and being arranged movably in this general plane between a first position and a second position which correspond respectively to the locking and unlocking positions for the blocking means driven by the control means; wherein said blocking means is arranged movably in a translational manner along the actuation axis and with the ability to be displaced by the control means along this actuation axis between said locking position, where it forms an axial abutment for the pusher, and said unlocking position set back from the locking position, the control means containing for this purpose means for driving the blocking means in the actuation axis.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the driving means contains a cam for the radial positioning of the blocking means, this cam cooperating with a follower means that the blocking means contains.

3. The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the driving means contains an elastic return means seeking to maintain the follower means in contact with the cam.

4. The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the cam exhibits a groove and the follower means is a pin inserted into this groove.

5. The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the cam is formed by a rib and the follower means is a slot.

6. The timepiece according to claim 1, and of which the case contains or supports a bezel, wherein the control means is formed by a ring which is mounted between the case middle and the bezel in such a way as to be rotatably mounted about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to said actuation axis.

7. The timepiece according to claim 1, and of which the case contains or supports a bezel, wherein said control means is formed by the bezel which is rotatably arranged.

8. The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the blocking means is a cylindrical sleeve surrounding the pusher (4) and with the ability to be displaced in said actuation axis of the pusher between said locking and unlocking positions.

9. The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the blocking means is a slider which is arranged slidably in said actuation axis of the pusher between said locking and unlocking positions.

10. The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the pusher contains a head and the blocking means is adapted to be positioned in order to lock the pusher, at a short distance from this head or bearing against the latter.

11. The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the locking device contains a visual means facilitating the recognition of the position of the blocking means.

12. The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the locking device contains a means of positioning arranged in order to maintain the control means in one or other of its first and second positions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] Other details of the invention will emerge from a perusal of the following description, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a view in transverse section and a cross-sectional view according to the line A-A of a first embodiment of a timepiece according to the invention, in which the locking device is in its locking position;

[0025] FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views, similar to those in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which the locking device is in its unlocking position;

[0026] FIGS. 5 to 9 represent various cross-sections of a second embodiment of a timepiece according to the invention, FIGS. 5 and 7 depicting the locking device in the locking position, whereas FIGS. 6 and 9 depict it in the unlocking position and FIG. 8 in an intermediate position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] A first embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The figures represent partial views in cross section of a timepiece showing a push-button arranged in the case middle 2 of the case 1 and its locking device. The push-button forms in particular a control means for a chronograph mechanism. This push-button is composed of a pendant 3, screwed into a tapping that the case middle 2 contains, and a pusher 4 extending partially to the exterior of the timepiece in order for it to be capable of actuation by a user. The pusher 4 contains a head 5 and a rod 6 adapted to slide in an opening that the pendant 3 contains in an actuation axis 20 passing through the case middle in parallel to the general plane of the case. A first spring 7 seeks to maintain the pusher 4 in a distal position with reference to the case middle 2 (as represented in all the figures).

[0028] The timepiece contains a locking device comprising a blocking means 8 that is movable in a translational manner in the actuation axis 20. In a first embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 to 4, the blocking means 8 is formed by a cylindrical sleeve 8a surrounding the pusher 4, this sleeve having an internal shoulder defining an abutment 12 for the head 5 of the pusher at least when the locking device is in its locking position.

[0029] The locking device also contains a control means 10 rotatably mounted with reference to the case middle 2, about an axis perpendicular to the general plane of the case 1, and thus perpendicular to the actuation axis 20. In general terms, the control means extends in the general plane of the case which is substantially parallel to the actuation axis, and it is arranged movably in this general plane between a first position and a second position corresponding respectively to the locking and unlocking positions of the locking device. Preferably, the control means 10 extends at least partially to the exterior of the case in such a way as to be capable of being easily actuated by a user. In the first embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 to 4, the control means is a rotating ring 10 mounted between the case middle 2 and a bezel 11 that the case 1 contains.

[0030] The operation of the locking mechanism is now described in detail. The blocking means 8 has the ability to be displaced between a locking position represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 and an unlocking position represented in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the locking position, an abutment 12 of the blocking means 8 is positioned directly beneath the head 5 of the pusher 4 in order to substantially block the pusher 4 in translation and, in so doing, to prevent its actuation in order to perform the function associated with this pusher. In the unlocking position, the blocking means has been translated in the actuation axis in such a way as to release the pusher 4 in translation and to make it operational.

[0031] The displacement of the blocking means between its locking position and its unlocking position is controlled by the control means 10 which is linked kinematically to the blocking means 8. In order to do this, the control means 10 contains driving means cooperating with a follower means that the blocking means 8 contains. In the first embodiment, the driving means is formed by a cam 13a and an elastic return means 15, whereas the follower means is formed by a pin 14a coming into contact with the cam 13a and playing the role of a cam follower. The elastic return means 15 (in particular a helicoidal spring) permits the pin 14a to be maintained in contact with the cam 13a in the two directions of actuation of the control means. In the variant represented here, the cam 13a is defined by a lateral surface of an internal recess of the rotating ring 10, of which the profile exhibits a steady radial variation between two angular positions defining respectively a first position and a second position corresponding to the locking and unlocking positions.

[0032] In order to ensure that the locking and unlocking positions are stable positions, the locking device preferably contains a means of positioning arranged in order to maintain the control means in place in the above-mentioned first and second positions. In particular, the control means may be pivotably mounted with low friction, which may be sufficient to ensure that it is maintained in said first and second positions. The means of positioning depicted in the figures is formed primarily by the substantially zero slope of the cam 13a at its two extremities 13c, which define respectively said first and second positions. The slope of the cam is considered in a circular frame of reference, such that a zero slope corresponds to a circular path.

[0033] The positioning may also be realized or reinforced by the fact that the pin 14a is held radially in its two extreme radial positions, corresponding to the first and second positions, on the one hand by an internal tongue 16 formed in the rotating ring 10 and on the other hand by a bearing surface defined by the case middle 2. The slope of the cam in the central zone causes a relatively rapid displacement of the blocking means in response to a small angular displacement of the control means, whereas the substantially zero slope at the extremities 13c of the cam prevents the transmission of a torque from the follower element towards the control means. A rotation of the rotating ring through about thirty degrees thus makes it possible to displace the blocking means in both directions between its locking and unlocking positions.

[0034] It is also possible to propose that the means of positioning the control means contains pressure points that must be passed just before reaching said first and second positions, and thus either the locking position or the unlocking position. This permits the two functional positions of the control means to be further secured. The passage of a pressure point in addition provides the user with a tactile indication of the locking or the unlocking.

[0035] FIGS. 5 to 9 depict a second embodiment which contains alternative solutions to those depicted in the first embodiment. Since these variants are independent one from the other, they may be combined together. It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to the two depicted embodiments, but that it also covers the combinations of the different alternatives and their equivalents.

[0036] In a first variant of the second embodiment, the blocking means is a slider 8b adapted to slide in the direction of the actuation axis of the pusher in a radial slide 9 that the case middle contains. The slide 9 may exhibit a dovetail shape or any other suitable profile.

[0037] In a second variant, the control means 10 is formed directly by a rotating bezel 11 that the case contains or supports.

[0038] According to another variant, the cam is formed by a groove 13b housing the pin 14a at least partially and having substantially the width of the diameter of this pin. This configuration corresponds to a desmodromic control, for which the elastic return means of the driving means of the blocking means may be omitted in order to limit the dimensions of the locking device. It may nevertheless be interesting to retain a small elastic return means in this case in order to take up any free play between the component parts and to eliminate any small parasitic translations of the blocking means.

[0039] In an alternative manner to the two embodiments depicted in the figures, the cam may just as well be a protruding rib, and the follower means may be a slot machined into the blocking means and receiving the rib, the sliding of the rib in the slot causing the radial displacement of the locking means.

[0040] The locking device may also contain a visual means facilitating the recognition of the position of the blocking means. This visual means, typically a mark, may be situated on the control means or directly on the blocking means. In the depicted embodiments, the blocking means is concealed in the unlocking position whereas it is visible in the locking position. The visibility of the locking means, which may be reinforced by a bright colour, in this case is the visual means which permits its position to be known.

[0041] It will also be noted in FIGS. 4 and 9 that it is easy to make provision for the control means 10 to contain a plurality of grooves 13b, respectively a plurality of cams 13a, in order to lock a plurality of pushers simultaneously.

[0042] The different proposed solutions thus make it possible to produce locking devices for one or a plurality of pushers which are easier and more rapid to utilize for locking with a single movement. The fact that the blocking means may be entirely retracted into the case middle makes the locking device discreet. Furthermore, the actuation of a conventional pusher is not made less easy by the presence of the locking device when the latter is placed in the unlocking position. Finally, the fact of relocating the control means at the level of the bezel permits the dimensions of the pushers to be increased to all effects not at all with the arrangement of the locking device according to the invention, which permits a classic appearance to be retained for the watch case, which may appear to be virtually identical externally to a corresponding case without a suchlike locking device.